


Wheelbarrows and Snackbars

by Kivea



Category: South Park
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Fluff, Getting Together, Like about 17, M/M, Slow Burn, Slow Dancing, Underage Drinking, drunk teenagers, teen parties
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-29
Updated: 2018-06-29
Packaged: 2019-05-30 16:13:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,671
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15100382
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kivea/pseuds/Kivea
Summary: It's pretty standard procedure for Kyle to help his drunken Super Best Friend get home after a party. It's just by chance that one day when he leaves Bebe's house he finds Craig standing there, helping Clyde get ready to go home. At first he was happy to have a brief wave and then head down the street to their respective houses.But then they realised they would be walking down the same streets to get home. Ho boy this was gonna be awkward.





	Wheelbarrows and Snackbars

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by art from bernnegi.tumblr.com

It was pretty standard procedure between the two of them. Stan had a tendency to over indulge when it came to liquid courage, to the point where he had before had to escort his Super Best Friend to hospital to be on the safe side. He had countless embarrassing stories of the raven haired teenager in hilarious situations, and with every party the story list grew and grew.

But, at some point during a night out, he would wrap an arm around Stan’s torso, sling Stan’s arm over his shoulder, and politely excuse them both from the party. He’d never been massively into drinking himself – he got drunk once when he was thirteen with Kenny and his mother had found them on the train tracks watching the stars. When he tried to bluff his way through the drunken haze he ended up vomiting all over her favourite shoes, and he’s kind of been terrified of it ever since.

That particular night he scooped Stan up, gave Bebe a friendly goodbye, and tried to drag the athletic boy from the small town house party. He huffed as he heaved the boy from the building, out into the chilly South Park air, with the destination of the Marsh household in mind. Usually when he had to cart the beefy boy next to him anywhere a five minute walk turned into a fifteen minute walk.

There was already another pair outside. He stopped on the doorstep to the Stevens’ house, looking over to see familiar faces, one tall dark haired boy, and a brunette that rested a little on the chubby side. The taller boy was buttoning up the red letterman jacket that sat on the brunette’s shoulders, a scowl on his face as they spoke.

“It’s the fucking dead of winter, Clyde, I don’t give two shits if you’re warm.”

“But _Craig_ , it’s not _comfy_ when it’s all done up and stuff!”

Craig continued to fasten the jacket before turning, crouching down and leaning forward. Kyle watched as Clyde wasted no time in wrapping his arms around Craig’s shoulders and pulled himself up onto the boy’s back, causing a grimace and curse to slip out as he pulled himself up a bit too quickly.

“You’re gonna choke me, chill out, dude!”

There was a mumbled response as Clyde got comfy on the back of his personal ride home, Craig straightening up and turning to glance back at the house and-!

Stan lent more of his weight onto Kyle. “Can-can we go back inside?”

“No,” Kyle snapped out. “We can’t. We’re going home.”

“I am home.”

“This is not your home, Stan.”

“We walked home.”

“No, we haven’t walked home yet,” Kyle heard the tremor of laughter in his voice. “We’re about to walk home.”

“That sounds like a load of horse shit.”

“Alright, Stan. Whatever you say.”

He looked up to see Craig still standing there, staring at them. He gave a small wave and a smile, pleased when Craig gave a cursory nod of acknowledgement before the dark haired boy turned and began to walk down the street.

The same street they were going to walk down. Ho boy this was gonna be awkward.

The pair in front didn’t acknowledge them as they trodded down the frozen streets. Kyle briefly wondered if maybe Craig didn’t know they were there, but Stan wasn’t exactly the quietest of people. No way could anyone ignore the occasional hiccup or the way his heavy feet hit the ground.

“ _Craig_!”

Kyle jumped out his skin at Clyde’s exclamation. He looked up to see Clyde shoot up and Craig cough as his windpipe was squeezed, stumbling back with the momentum. Kyle took a few hurried steps forward, dragging Stan with him, before his hand met Clyde’s back and he held steady, using Stan’s weight to ground himself. There were a few seconds of silence as Craig got his balance back.

“Thanks.”

“Craig!”

“What?!” the dark haired boy snapped out, glancing over his shoulder at his friend. “Jesus Christ, what is it?!”

“I’m hungry.”

“Alright, just-fuck-!” Craig fumbled as he tried to readjust Clyde on his back and free up a hand. “Would you-you’re gonna need to-!”

“Do you need help?”

Craig looked over to him, dark eyes growing wide for a moment. “Oh. Uh-if that’s…yeah.”

Kyle nodded, pulling Stan up as the boy began to lean too much to one side again. “What can I do?”

“In my pocket,” Craig lowered Clyde’s right leg, revealing the top of one of the pockets on his leather jacket. “There’s like a brunch bar. Can you get it?”

Kyle nodded and stepped forward. He unzipped the pocket and reached his hand in, fishing out the chocolaty treat and holding it up. Clyde immediately reached for it and began to fumble to get it open. Kyle looked up to Craig to see the whispers of a smile and a faint pink hue on the boy’s cheeks. He tried to think of something to say.

“Dude, I want one.”

Kyle rolled his eyes at Stan’s words. “Tough. I don’t carry round food for you.”

“He can have the other one.”

“Are you sure?”

Craig nodded and turned to reveal the other pocket. “Yeah. Take it. As thanks for the help.”

Kyle nodded and fumbled about getting the second bar out. He raised it up to Stan, who let go of him long enough to get it open with some help, before their arms were round each other once again.

Craig started walking first. He followed behind a little closer, just in case Clyde pulled anything again so he could be there to try keep him steady. Thankfully the food managed to keep Stan quiet for the rest of the journey and they were soon on the street that held the Donovan household.

He turned to Craig, who had stopped to face him already. He bit down on his lip as he tried to form the words he wanted to say.

“Do you need help getting in, or…?”

Craig shook his head at the question. “I’ve got this bit, thanks. See you round.”

“Yeah, see you round.”

They parted to go to their separate ways, Kyle managing to wrangle his best friend down the street to the Marsh household. When he got inside he found it dark and quiet, the rest of the family upstairs in bed. The Marsh’s knew he would always stay over on a Friday night, and Sharon had on multiple occasions thanked him for helping her Stanley get home after a party. In a small town like this it wasn’t easy to hide drunken teen parties from gossipy circles, and thankfully the Marsh’s were the type of parents who didn’t mind drunk teenagers, so long as they were sensible drunk teenagers.

The next morning he would wake up to the smell of pancakes and come down to find Sharon in the kitchen making breakfast for him. The Marsh men wouldn’t surface until some time in the afternoon, groggy and hung over after a wild Friday night. His mother would no doubt hound him when he got home, asking details of his night and how the party was, if he was subjected to any drugs, but ultimately give him a big hug and suggest next time he went out he drag his anti-social brother with him to get the boy to try make friends.

\--

You could be pretty much guaranteed a party every weekend. It was like people got nominated to host them, seeking out whoever’s parents didn’t care or were gone for the weekend so everyone else could invite themselves round. Different hosts attracted different crowds with vastly different atmospheres, though Kyle always seemed to end up at one on Friday night, no matter where it was.

Jason’s parties were pretty good in his books. Not extravagant and wild like Bebe’s, and not chilled and mellow like Jimmy’s. The White house held some of his favourite nights, a nice balance of everything a party should be.

Stan didn’t always come to Jason’s, finding them too ‘boring’, and sometimes it was just Kyle and Kenny. When Stan was there it was pretty usual for him and Kenny to cause some kind of ruckus.

He let out a huff as he looked around the living room, trying to spot the troublemakers. He’d done a quick sweep of the kitchen, but he was long since abandoned, and his best friends were no where to be seen. He was gonna have to approach this methodically. He was staying at Stan’s house, he couldn’t just leave without him, as tempting as it was.

He jumped out his skin as the front door opened behind him, revealing a familiar leather jacket over a blue hoody.

“Hey.”

Kyle raised a hand in greeting. “Hey, you-uh-just arrived?”

The Tucker boy shook his head. “Nah, about to leave. Clyde’s outside. You alright?”

“I’ve lost Stan.”

A look of sympathy crossed Craig’s face, brows pulling together as his lips pursed. “Shit, dude. That sucks.”

“Yeah. It happens.”

“I’ll help you find him.”

Kyle glanced to the door Craig was shutting, trying to see Clyde outside before it was closed. “Don’t you need to help Clyde?”

“He’s fucking gone. Passed out about half an hour ago. He’s not waking up any time soon.”

“Well, thanks then, I guess.”

Craig suggested they stuck together; else lose each other as well. They went room by room, searching for the black and blonde duo. Kyle had to resist the urge to punch one of them in the face when they visited the kitchen, the first place he’d looked, and they were there being as obnoxious as ever.

They were both sat on the counters, with Bebe and Tweek standing on the surface next to them pouring alcohol through funnels that lead into their mouths. It was a party game that Bebe was famous for, and apparently she’d joined Stan on the idea that Jason’s parties were too boring and needed a little more excitement.

“I guess we’ve found them,” Craig muttered as he watched the scene. “Now you just have to pry him away.”

“So long as I know where they are…” Kyle watched the scene continue as the crowd around them began to chant for their favourite boy. “I can keep an eye on- _he’s gonna hurl_!”

Kyle knew the signs. He knew the signs of Stan’s weak stomach finally giving up. He watched in horror as his best friend stopped being able to keep up with the flow, his mouth overflowing with the golden liquid, his face turning a little green before he lurched once-twice-and forward, throwing up all over the kitchen floor.

Next to him Kenny broke. The blonde began to laugh despite the alcohol Tweek was pouring and began to cough as some went down the wrong way – and all over his front – but didn’t stop laughing. There was a collective exclamation of _gross_ as Stan sat back up and the stench began to settle over the room, though there was more laughter than anything else.

“Not again!”

Craig snorted at Kyle’s protest. “You need a hand?”

“I’m not gonna get you to help me clean up his vomit, just – take him outside with Clyde. I’ll be there in a second.”

“Roger that.”

Kyle watched as Craig shoved his way through the crowd as Kyle shouted out to get them to disperse, heading towards the kitchen sink to get something to clean up the mess with. He wasn’t surprised to find Bebe at the doorway racing away from the scene she had created, no doubt with a sweet smile that was anything but apologetic.

Craig had Stan’s arms around him as he began to march him out the house. Tweek had gathered a rather drunk Kenny to a corner of the kitchen out of Kyle’s way, the two blondes conspiring together with their foreheads practically bumping as they did so. He heard whispered fragments of Kenny wanting to help him clean up, and Tweek venomously shooting the suggestion down as ‘bacteria can _kill,_ man. Everything fucking kills _you_ ’.

It didn’t take him longer than five minutes. He didn’t try very hard. He was soon leaving the house and braving the air outside, glad for the brisk chill it brought him after his quick, half-hearted cleaning session. The sight that greeted him had him do a double take.

Stan had his arms wrapped around Craig, nothing short of _cuddling_ the tall boy he was using as a pillar as Craig stood and allowed it to happen. Next to them was Clyde, not just asleep, but stuffed in a wheelbarrow.

Kyle raised a brow at Craig, who was entirely unperturbed by the situation he was in. “Seriously, dude?”

“What?”

He gestured down at the sleeping body that had been haphazardly packed into the wheelbarrow. “Where’d you even find that?”

“Out back. It was in their yard.”

“Isn’t that…?”

“I’m just borrowing it.”

Kyle shrugged it off and sighed out, heading forward to pry Stan’s arms off Craig and position them around himself. “Alright, but I’m not lying for you if anyone asks.”

“You’re just jealous you didn’t think of it first.”

He was.

Craig pushed his sleeping friend along as Kyle dragged Stan, trying to comfort the groaning boy as they started the journey home. He was thankful that this time it was the Marsh house they passed first, not looking forward to doing this on his own when he was beginning to get to know what it felt like to have company, even if that company was mostly quiet.

“Thanks for your help tonight.”

Craig shrugged it off, turning to face Kyle head on and dropping the wheelbarrow handles gracelessly. “It’s the least I could do after last time. Besides, I’ve lost Clyde at parties before. It’s not the easiest.”

“Do you always look after him?”

“Mostly,” Craig admitted. “One of us has to be the sensible one, god knows it’s not gonna be him.”

Kyle gave an embarrassing snort of laughter. “Yeah, I get that. I’ll see you later?”

Craig turned to pick up the wheelbarrow again. “See you around, Broflovski.”

Kyle took a moment to watch the tall boy disappear into the night, difficult to see with the amount of navy blue and black he wore. It was easier to see the corners of Clyde’s red jacket peaking out the sides of his temporary bed, hearing him begin to snore as they headed further down the street. He began to wonder how many nights they’d both been at the same party, crossing paths and hanging out in groups of friends, but never leaving at the same time. Never realising there was someone in the exact same position. Or maybe he did, and the thought never occurred to him to stop and talk.

When Stan chose to gag and empty the remains of the contents of his stomach on the street Kyle snapped out of his thoughts, stepping over the puke and heading straight into the house to unceremoniously dump his best friend into the bathtub with a glass of water. He was having Stan’s room to himself that night.

\--

It was something that had bugged him since the last Friday after watching Craig leave with the wheelbarrow: why _hadn’t_ they ever walked home together before? It wasn’t like they were strangers. Kyle would go as far to say they were friends. Sure, their social circles tended to diverse and splinter as the years went on, but they still spent time in the same groups.

The next Friday, at the Turner house for Heidi’s turn to host, he decided to act on his thoughts. They _should_ spend time together. Safety in numbers. Comfort of someone who understood the pain of being The Responsible One, or whatever. That was how it worked, right?

“So this is the quiet corner, huh?”

Craig looked up at him, a red plastic cup in one hand and his phone in the other. Craig was sat off in the corner of the room, a couple of other kids near him but not with him, as he busied himself with the bright screen of his phone. He shuffled over to allow room for Kyle to sit next to him and the redhead sat down gratefully, staring out across the room as Craig pocketed his phone.

Silence descended. He was the one who approached Craig. He was going to have to make the first move.

“So, do you-uh-always stay at Clyde’s house after a party?”

“Yeah, I do. It’s easier. And my mom thinks he’s too disruptive when he’s drunk to crash at ours.”

“I mean, she’s not wrong.”

“She’s totally right.”

Kyle glanced across at the dark haired boy before looking back out at the living room where there were a group of kids chattering away at the drinks table, mixing together their cocktails of death.  

“You always stay at Stan’s?”

“I’ve stayed at Kenny’s too, but usually Stan’s. Mom doesn’t like me going home after a party, says I don’t get back till too late and it would wake everyone up.”

Craig nodded his head. “Makes sense. Sounds like your mom.”

“Yeah, it does.”

“You don’t drink?”

Kyle knew Craig knew the answer to that. He could answer it for himself and for Craig, because he’d seen Craig drink multiple times. He answered anyway. “Not really. First time I got drunk I threw up on my mom. She’s kinda…frightening when she’s mad.”

A grin split across Craig’s face. “No shit. I can’t believe I missed that, when was it?”

“I dunno, we were like, thirteen? I was with Kenny.”

“I’m surprised she even lets you come to these parties. Your mom’s kind of a bi-!”

“She’s not _that_ bad,” Kyle interrupted, glaring at the widening grin. “She’s just a little opinionated.”

“Sure, whatever you say. You know where your charge is tonight, or have you lost him already?”

Kyle pointed across the room to where the archway to the kitchen showed the scene of Stan and Cartman versing Wendy and Bebe at beer pong. Craig gave a hum of acknowledgement.

“Mine’s there.”

Kyle followed the finger pointing towards Clyde, who was leaning against the wall with one arm up, practically waggling his brows as he flirted away with the host of the party. Heidi giggled and laughed in all the right ways, rolling her eyes and flicking the brunette on the nose at one point, but there was softness in her eyes nonetheless.

“He’s been trying to pick Heidi up for fucking months. I’m tired of listening to his lovesick whining.”

“Heidi? Why Heidi?”

“I could list all the reasons I’ve heard them that many times. I think he just likes being bossed about. They have home ec together or something, she cooks really good food.”

“Huh. I mean, she’s nice enough, I guess.”

Craig gave him a disbelieving look.

“She’s pretty!”

“I’m surprised you’re surprised.”

Kyle glared up at the man. “I was ten.”

Craig held up his hands in defeat. “Alright, that’s fair.”

“Do you still have snacks in your jacket?”

“Yeah, they’re my emergency Clyde snacks, because he’s a fucking pig.”

“Can I-?”

“No.”

“Why not?!”

“Absolutely not.”

“You keep two of them!”

Craig sneered down at the redhead. “I should’ve never shown them off in front of you. It was a moment of _weakness_.”

“You’re being dramatic.”

“I am _never_ dramatic.”

“Does Clyde really need them? He can just get Heidi to make him food!”

Craig rolled his eyes, but fished a snack bar from his pocket anyway. “Here. But if Clyde complains about being hungry later I’m holding you responsible for not having snacks for him.”

He gave a muffled thank you as he began to tear open the treat and wolf it down in record time, thankful that at least while he was eating he didn’t have to make awkward, stilted conversation. He gave a small start as there was a loud cheer from the kitchen, snapping his head up to see the teens that had been engaged in beer pong now begin to funnel their way through to the living room, some disappearing into the sound-proofed basement for where Heidi had a mini-disco set up.

Craig stood and got his attention back, a sour look on the sour face, and Kyle watched as the tall man downed his drink and dropped the plastic cup on the seat he had been occupying before shoving his hands in the pockets of his hoody.

“I’m going for some air. Wanna come?”

Kyle didn’t hesitate.

He was amazed by how quiet it was outside in comparison. There was soft music playing from a speaker on the patio where a small group of teens sat sharing lighters and smokes. Craig moved to lean against the wooden fence that separated the patio from the rest of the garden, finally coming down to Kyle’s height.

He settled himself next to Craig, a wide grin on his face as Kenny shouted out to him from the grassy lawn. The blonde gave an exaggerated wave as he leant into Tweek who was stood next to him smoking, eyes that were usually wide with worry for once closed and chilled in the calming atmosphere.

Kyle watched as Tweek and Kenny shared another drag each of the joint between them, the latter stumbling as he continued to sway to the music coming from the small speaker set on the patio. Kyle couldn’t help but chuckle as Kenny started mumbling the words to a different song, Red heckling him from her place on the steps with Kevin and Porsha.

“This is the quiet corner,” Craig spoke low.

“This is the smoking area.”

“Smoking, quiet, they go hand in hand.”

Kyle turned his attention to the tall boy next to him. “I never really come outside. I usually just hang out with Stan or Wendy.”

“Tweek’s out here a lot, and Token when he’s around.”

“You guys still hang out a lot?”

Craig shrugged it off. “Not that much, but I like to make sure they’re all okay.”

A small smirk played at the corners of Kyle’s lips. “You know, you’re kind of like a mom friend.”

Craig _glowered_ down at him. “You take that back, filthy heathen.”

“It’s true! You like to check up on people. And you’re the responsible one.”

“What about you? You’re worse than me.”

Kyle shrugged. “Kenny’s more mothering than I am. Well, when he’s sober, and it’s about someone he cares about.”

“You babysit Stan at these parties.”

“Only cause I don’t drink, cause I don’t like it.”

Craig clicked his tongue, eyes drifting back out to where their two blonde friends were now dancing in a circle with Kevin. “I bet I can make you something you’d like.”

“Really now?”

“Really. Come on.”

“Is tonight just gonna be you dragging me around this party?”

Craig smirked down at him in a way that left him a little breathless. “I’m not keeping you here if you don’t wanna be.”

Part of him thought about refusing to follow the Tucker boy any longer out of stubborn principle. But there was a strangely attractive way that Craig conducted himself that drew Kyle in. He found himself snorting with laughter as Craig attempted to look cool while making him a drink and failing miserably, nearly dropping an entire bottle of Malibu on the floor.

He took his first sip of the drink to find it a lot less sharp than he ever remembered drinking when he was thirteen. It was certainly less bitter than the beers that Stan would drink, and kinder to him than what Kenny had goaded him into trying before. He tried not to let his surprise and delight show at the smug look on Craig’s face.

“It’s alright, I guess.”

“I tried not to make it too alcoholic. I thought maybe that’d help.”

They didn’t make it back outside. Instead Kyle quizzed Craig on all the drinks that were lined up on the back of the table in the noisy living room, asking what his favourites and least favourites were, or which ones went nicely together. Craig indulged him, talking a mile a minute when he got really into it and speaking about how he’d started learning cocktails with Token given the extensive alcohol cabinet that the Blacks owned.

They didn’t notice the time pass by until Clyde was stumbling towards them and crashing their moment, wide grin and waggling brows as he leant in close to his friend.

“I thought I’d come tell you, cause I don’t want you to ditch me when you can’t find me, but I need you to wait for me while I head upstairs with Heidi.”

Craig scowled at the brunette who swayed in front of them. “You want me to _what_?”

“Wait, while I go upstairs. I can’t stay, so I don’t want you to leave without me.”

“What the fuck, dude? You want me to hang about while you get your dick wet?”

“You-you don’t mind, right? You look like you’re having fun!”

Craig let out a long-suffering sigh. “Fine. Whatever. Go get laid or something, just be quick about it.”

“I will, I promise!”

They watched as Clyde disappeared to the stairs, meeting a giggling Heidi at the bottom. They stumbled up the stairs together with their heads knocking together, only noticed by others on the stairwell who were chatting or sucking face.

Craig turned to Kyle with a sympathetic, serious look. “That poor, poor girl.”

“What?”

“He promised to be quick.”

Kyle was pleased he’d finished his drink as he nearly choked on air. Craig looked all too pleased with himself at the response his bad joke got.

“Have you ditched him before?”

“Yeah. Sometimes he just fucking vanishes so I leave. One time I woke up in the morning and on the way home I found him in a bush.”

“What the fuck, dude?”

“I know.”

Kyle cocked his head as the thought dawned. “You helped me look for Stan?”

Craig shrugged it off like no big deal, but he wouldn’t meet Kyle’s eyes. “Don’t go thinking you’re special.”

That was the only excuse he was given. It was enough to warm his heart.

Clyde hadn’t reappeared by the time Kenny appeared with a drunken Stan round his neck, dumping the boy on Kyle. The redhead was half way through promising that he would hang about as long as he could before Craig assured him he would be fine. Craig stood to follow Kenny outside where the others were.

Kyle wasn’t sure he could remember a party at Heidi’s house he’d enjoyed so much, even though he barely did anything other than sit around alone with Craig all night. He did miss having company other than his drunken super best friend on his walk home.

\--

 “When were you and Craig so friendly?”

It felt like the question came completely out of left field. One second he was just at his locker getting his stuff out for the day, catching Tucker’s eye across the hall who was with his friends, and exchanging a perfectly civil wave. The next thing he knew Stan was tossing questions about like the idea of him being friendly with his friends was a strange occurrence.

“What do you mean? We’ve all been friends for years.”

Stan shrugged it off. “I dunno, you just seem _more_ friendly.”

“We bonded at Heidi’s I guess, we’re the two sober friends at parties, it’s not that surprising.”

Anything else Stan could’ve said was cut off as the tall boy in question made his way over to them. Kyle busied himself with what he was doing so it didn’t look like they’d just been talking about him, though he couldn’t stop the small smile that began to cross over his face when he _heard_ the clatter of Craig Tucker practically smacking his arm into the lockers as he propped himself up against them and leant over the redhead.

“Are you coming to Clyde’s party tomorrow night?”

Kyle shuffled his books about as he swapped his physics and history books from locker to bag. “I think so. If we get our homework done on time. I told Stan he was only going if he successfully studied for that bio test for next week.”

“You’ve got all weekend to study for tests, why do it on Friday?”

“I know what he’s like, he won’t do it otherwise.”

Stan gave a soft punch to Kyle’s shoulder. “I’m right here, y’know?”

“Sorry!”

Craig snorted, but turned his attention back to Kyle. “I do have the wheelbarrow still, if you need it.”

“Still? You never took it back?”

He shrugged. “I’m getting round to it.”

“No, you’re hoping to pawn it off on me tomorrow and then it’ll be my responsibility.”

“You got me.”

Kyle rolled his eyes and finally shut his locker, turning his attention to Stan. “Clyde’s?”

“Uh, yeah. Sure. Clyde’s.”

And then his eyes were only seeing Craig, and that smirk spread across the man’s face. “I guess so then. Will I be the only sober one this time?”

“I’m rarely sober. I just don’t get blackout drunk like everyone else.”

“I’ll see you there.”

“See you then.”

Craig gave the locker he was leaning against a pat as he pushed himself up and away, heading off to where Clyde and Jimmy were waiting for him. Kyle took a moment to watch him leave, mulling over the question of whether Craig owned multiple of the same leather jacket or if he really did just wear that one, day in and day out.

“Dude.”

His attention snapped round to Stan, who was staring at him with a slack jaw and wide eyes. “What? What is it?”

“Are you two, like…a thing?”

“Wha-what do you-what are you talking about?”

“You and Craig,” Stan pressed as he leant closer. “Were you flirting?”

“That was hardly flirting, Stan. He was asking if we were going to Clyde’s party.”

“No, he was asking if _you_ were going to Clyde’s party. I don’t think he gave me a second glance.”

“Maybe that’s because you weren’t saying anything.”

Stan blew a raspberry into the air. “Yeah, I was too busy being stunned by your thing with _Craig Tucker_.”

“You’re so full of shit, Stan. Come on, we have class.”

“And what was he talking about, a wheelbarrow? Is that like, an inside joke? Do you have inside jokes with _Craig Tucker_?”

The sing-song tone Stan was beginning to take was kind of grating. “No, _Stan_ , you were just too drunk to remember it, but you were _there_.”

“Why you being cagey about it then? Is it a special moment that you don’t wanna share?”

“Stan! Holy fuck!”

Thankfully he next class was different to Stan’s, meaning he got a breather from his super best friend for a while, though there was a twinkle in the boy’s eyes as he ran across the hall to meet Kenny for the class they shared. Kyle hoped that they didn’t talk about it. Between the two of them he’d be sussed in no time at all.

Not that there _was_ anything to suss. Obviously.

He cursed under his breath and settled down at his desk next to Token, who gave him a sympathetic look but thankfully didn’t ask him what was wrong. He could always count on Token to _not_ pry into his business and assume that he would either talk about it when he was ready or that he didn’t want to get involved with whatever it was.  

He spent the remainder of the day panicking that maybe he’d give something away if he saw Craig again. Like the boy would look at him and see it written across his face. Not that there _was_ anything to have written across his face but the last thing he needed was something to ruin their relationship.

Friendship. Which was a type of relationship, yeah, but not a _relationship_ relationship. Just your normal, average, friendship-relationship, nothing suspicious at all.

\--

Clyde’s party came all too soon. He spent a good twenty minutes trying to decide what to wear, before he spent another twenty in front of the mirror after his shower attempting to fix his hair. Ike popped his head in a couple of times to ask if Kyle needed his temperature checking. It didn’t help when his mother oh-so-helpfully chimed in not to bother Kyle, and that perhaps the older brother simply had a lovely lady he wanted to impress.

He hadn’t seen Craig all day. He wasn’t sure if he was subconsciously avoiding the boy or if it was just how the day had worked, but he hadn’t been safe from Stan’s teasing. He just knew now when he saw Craig at the party he’d be plagued by Stan’s words the _fucking asshole_.

He shouted his goodbyes to his family and promised to be home by dinner on Saturday. He found Stan already walking up his drive to his door when he got out and the pair started off down towards the Donovan household.

They made idle conversation about the rumour that someone had caught their maths teacher with their English teacher in some janitors closet earlier that day, mindlessly going through the motions on the walk through the chilly South Park streets. It wasn’t until they arrived at the house, walking straight in without knocking, that Stan took hold of his shoulder and brought him close.

“Tonight I’m gonna be the sober one.”

Kyle blinked owlishly at his best friend. “What?”

“I’m gonna be the sober one!” Stan repeated. “You don’t have to worry about anything. You always take me home, so today I’m gonna take you home instead.”

“Stan, you know I don’t drink.”

“That’s not the point, Kyle,” the raven haired boy sighed out. “The point is…you deserve to have a fun night where you don’t have to carry me home every once in a while.”

“Well…thanks, I guess.”

“No worries. Let’s grab some drinks.”

Kyle agreed with less hesitation and followed his best friend to the kitchen where most of the kids had brought various bottles and mixers to share. There was already a small crowd forming around the island counter in the middle of the kitchen of their friends, gossiping and shouting amongst themselves as they grasped for cups and drinks.

“What kind of fruity shit is this?!”

Kyle grit his teeth as they slid in opposite Cartman, who was taking a sip from Craig’s glass. The dark haired man simply scowled and raised his middle finger.

“Damn, Craig, I knew you were gay, but this is pushing it!”

“Let me try,” Stan requested, reaching his hand out across the table. “What are you drinking?”

“I dunno,” Craig shrugged it off. “I just put a load of shit in a glass together.”

“Make me one!” Bebe snapped from her place next to Cartman. “I love your drinks! I want one! Extra vodka!”

“Make your own.”

“Please, Craig? Pretty please with a cherry on top?!”

He rolled his eyes at her begging, but gestured for her to pass her cup over. She gave a small squeak and waited for him to start mixing drinks up in the plastic cup as Stan tried the drink he’d stolen.

“Damn, this is pretty nice. Kinda sweet.”

“I’m not making one for _everyone_.”

Stan shook his head and slid the glass across the counter. “Nah, I don’t want one. I’m meant to be good tonight!”

“Sounds boring,” Bebe supplied.

“I think Kyle deserves a party where he doesn’t have to drag my sorry ass home.”

Kyle startled as the attention in the room fell on him. Bebe was quick to ask if this meant he would be the one getting shit-faced, while Cartman laughed at the very notion of it. Kyle had his fears confirmed however: as soon as Craig’s eyes locked with is own, all he could think of was his conversations with Stan over the past couple of days, accusing him of having a _thing_.

What _thing_? There was no _thing_.

“Pass me another,” Craig gestured at the cups stacked to the side.

It took him a couple of minutes before he had a drink ready to go, sliding it across the counter towards Kyle. The redhead finally tore his eyes away from the tall boy to look down at the colourful drink he’d been presented with, fizzing and popping with the amount of carbonated soda it had been filled with.

Stan spoke before Kyle had a chance. “Kyle doesn’t drink, dude.”

“Yeah, Kyle’s just a _pussy_ , ain’t that right, _Kahl_?”

“Fuck you, fatass,” he declared as he picked up the cup. “Thanks, dude.”

Craig smirked with triumph and nodded his head. “No problem.”

If he had bet money on the chance of Stan making an off handed comment on how he was happy to accept a drink from _Craig Tucker_ in that sing-song voice once they were clear of the drinks table, he would’ve made a profit.

He tried not to be too disappointed when his night took him and Stan to the garden where Kenny was hanging out with Davíd, the pair of them engaged in a rather intense staring contest. Kenny lost, but only due to the fact Stan slid up behind him and started whispering in his ear. Davíd still took it as a win.

“Is Kyle _drinking alcohol_?” Kenny asked with an exaggerated gasp. “I never thought I’d live to see the day!”

“It’s not a big deal. I’ve drank alcohol before.”

“Yeah fucking years ago what happened?”

A sly smile spread across Stan’s face.

“Don’t start.”

Kenny clocked on instantly and gave a dramatic wink. “ _Ooh_ , I gotcha. My lips are sealed. Wink, wink.”

“You’re a menace.”

It took him a good hour to actually make his way through the drink he’d been given, even if it wasn’t particularly alcoholic. Their small group grew as more people arrived, Red quick to make herself comfortable with her small speakers as she usually did, before an argument broke out on what they should play.

Once his cup ran dry he stood to excuse himself to get a refill. Stan and Kenny both made kissy faces at each other as he left, confirming that they were _the worst_ , while Davíd rolled his eyes at them and requested Kyle pick him up another beer. The two he considered his oldest friends were quick to jump on the drinks orders.

He hoped he didn’t look _too_ happy about the fact that Craig was in the kitchen when he got there.

“Hey, you think you could make me another drink?”

Stormy eyes looked down at him, a lazy smile settling over the usually grumpy features. Craig took Kyle’s cup from his hands and began to pick out bottles from the table, moving a little slower than before.

“Are you drunk already?”

“I’m not drunk, just a little buzzed,” Craig assured as he mixed the alcohol and soda. “You enjoying your night?”

“It’s not bad. I can’t believe Red’s not freezing her ass off out there in that skirt.”

“Yeah, sounds like Red.”

“What about you?”

Craig looked up for a moment. “Hmm?”

“Enjoying your night?”

“Boring. Clyde’s off somewhere with Heidi, and Bebe ditched me to find a ‘nice boy’ to harass or something.”

“There’s no nice boys for you to harass?”

Craig’s eyes landed on him as he handed the cup over. “No, you’ve been outside with your friends.”

Kyle most certainly did _not_ fall into stunned silence from embarrassment alone.

“Was that…?”

“No!” Kyle shook his head quickly. “It’s-I’m here now.”

“Good.”

“It was getting cold outside anyway.”

Craig grasped a bottle he was drinking out of and pushed himself off the counter. “Alcohol should warm you up.”

“Right! I’m meant to be taking drinks outside, uh…”

“Let me help.”

Kenny and Stan weren’t nearly as subtle as they thought they were. Kenny all but waggled his eyebrows as Kyle handed him his drink, though the redhead managed to play it off. He settled back in his place next to Stan, looking up to find where Craig was. The tall boy stood next to them, laughing at something Davíd had said when he was passed a bottle, blissfully unaware of Kenny and Stan’s awkward behaviour.

But Kyle couldn’t stop himself being awkward as he asked: “You staying?”

Craig looked down, taking a moment to absorb the question, before a lopsided smile took over his face. “Sure.”

He felt his heart in his throat as Craig sat down next to him, close enough that their knees knocked against each other. _Nothing_ suspicious here _at all_.

The evening continued as he expected it would. He kept having to actively refocus himself on the conversation he was having with Stan and Kevin as his thoughts occasionally drifted to the warm body sat next to him, who was talking to Davíd and Kenny. At some point Bebe joined them outside, letting out a shrill noise of excitement as one of her favourite songs came on and she pulled Red up to dance with her on the frosty lawn.

“Do you wanna refill?”

Kyle startled at the question, feeling his cheeks heat up as he noticed how close Craig had gotten to ask, the smell of liquor on his breath. He’d barely noticed he’d finished his drink.

“Sure.”

Craig nodded and took the cup, letting out a large breath as he pulled himself up and off the ground. Davíd offered to accompany him and grab another drink for himself, a couple of others shuffling around and heading inside with the sudden movement. Kyle had to brace himself for his meddling friends and their big noses.

“He’s totally into you.”

“I _told_ you,” Stan echoed Kenny’s statement. “Totally into you.”

“You should make a move.”

“Get one up on him.”

“Stan, it’s not all a competition, alright?” Kyle snapped.

“Yeah but that’s usually a good way to get you to do something.”

Kenny chuckled at that one. “Seriously though? Do us all a favour and sweep him off his feet. I live for the day he stops checking up on everyone like some kind of mother hen.”

“Rich, coming from _you_.”

Their conversation was cut short as Bebe collared Stan on her way back in, fluttering her eyelashes as she asked him to help her with something. He gave her a disapproving look that was spoiled by the amusement on his face, but agreed anyway. He passed Craig on his way back to the small commune outside.

“I thought he was being sober tonight?”

“Yeah, he’s still sober.”

“Anything that Bebe’s organised is not going to keep him sober.”

Kyle shrugged it off. “I guess we’ll find out.”

Craig turned to Kenny, face passive as he spoke. “Tweek was looking for you, by the way. Something about covering work tomorrow?”

“He worries too much,” Kenny muttered with a smile on his face. “I’ll go check on him. Mind helping me find him?”

Davíd shrugged his shoulders. “Sure, come on.”

Kyle turned his eyes to the group ahead of them, Red still standing and moving loosely to the music as she spoke to Kevin and Lola, the latter resting her head on Kevin’s shoulder. Craig made no effort to speak to the trio, and Kyle wasn’t in a rush to break the comfortable silence that had settled over them as they listened to Red’s choice of music.

He finally looked up, trying to sneak a glance at his companion only to find the dark eyes already looking at him. He bit back a smile as he watched Craig’s gaze dart away and a small flush creep into his cheeks at being caught, fingers playing with the label of the bottle in his hands.

Kyle tried to hide his smile behind the cup he had, now half finished. Something about the way Craig looked at him made him feel _good_.

“Dance with me.”

Kyle startled at the request, spluttering wildly as he stared wide eyed at Craig. “Wha-I don’t-I can’t dance.”

“It’s not hard, you just stand and sway vaguely with the music.”

“I think this song’s a bit too upbeat to get away with that.”

Craig waved it off, taking hold of Kyle’s cup to place next to his own bottle. “Dude, nobody gives a shit, it’ll be fine. Come on, trust me.”

“In front of Red and Kevin and Lola?”

“Like they really care. Besides, I’m pretty sure Lola’s asleep.”

Kyle glanced over to the trio, seeing Red and Kevin speak as Lola continued to rest on the latter’s shoulder.

“I can ask Red to change the song?”

“God, fuck, no. Don’t-I’ll dance. Let’s just not make a big deal out of it.”

Craig took this as a victory and pulled Kyle to his feet, dragging him a couple of steps further away from the others and the back door, into the darkness of the yard. He let out a breath to stead himself as Craig wrapped his arms around his neck, Kyle’s own hands coming up to settle on the slender hips. His fingers twitched to get comfortable around the feeling of the belt wrapped round the black jeans, a thumb slipping through a belt loop, his gaze drawn up to the stormy eyes above him.

Craig smirked and raised a brow. “If you’re too chicken you can back out.”

“Fuck you.”

No more than ten seconds after they’d started to awkwardly shuffle in a fractured pace to the bouncy music Red had changed the song. They glanced over to see her wiggling the phone at them before she turned back to Kevin to continue their conversation. Craig had been right about one thing: Lola was down for the count.

“She just loves to embarrass me.”

Kyle grinned up at his dance partner. “So you’re the embarrassed one now, huh?”

“Whatever. You just worry about keeping your feet from standing on mine.”

Kyle rolled his eyes and continued to move, though he found it a lot easier with music that was slower and actually fit their timing. They began to talk in low voices so not to disturb the others, rattling through events that had happened in the week. Kyle found himself asking about their English and maths teachers like he had with Stan earlier that night, and he wasn’t disappointed by Craig’s harsh observation of incompetence and foolishness.

Their conversation came to a halt as Red’s phone finally died and the weather forced her and Kevin to pick Lola up and take her back inside. An empty garden left them both with only the muffled sound of music from the inside echoing around as Kyle’s grip on Craig tightened.

“Hey.”

He snapped his head round, looking up at the Tucker boy. “Yeah?”

“Thanks for coming tonight.”

“Course, dude. Why wouldn’t I?”

Craig shrugged. “I dunno. I just…” eyes flickered towards the house for the briefest of moments. “I didn’t want to scare you off or anything.”

It was probably a justified fear. There were quite a lot of kids at school that found Craig Tucker to be nothing short of intimidating. Kyle though? “You’d have to try harder than that to scare _me_ off. I know you’re just a big baby.”

“How dare you.”

“Besides, I missed your company last Friday on the walk home.”

“Stan not sober enough to entertain you?”

Kyle shrugged it off. “Stan’s great and all, but I get him most days of the week.”

“Oh, so I’m just there for variety, am I?”

Kyle wouldn’t have been able to stop the smile that spread across his face if he tried. There wasn’t anything particularly special about their conversation apart from the fact it was _theirs_ , and there was something about it that just made him so _happy_. And maybe Stan was a little right. Maybe there was _something_.

“I might’ve just had a bit too much to drink,” Craig confessed. “But…would it-it’s not weird if I kiss you, is it?”

He felt his heart punch his ribcage with the force of its beating. “No. It’s not weird.”

Craig ducked his head down far enough that Kyle could feel the alcohol stained breath brushing across his cheeks. He licked his lips as Craig hesitated and their noses brushed, waiting. Kyle tilted his head and rushed forward to close the gap.

He never thought the scene would be considered as romantic as it felt. The sound of the party inside was drowned out by the sound of his own heartbeat and his body temperature was beginning to drop from being outside for so long, but something was keeping him warm. He wasn’t sure if it was what little alcohol he had, the fire spreading through his veins, or the closeness of Craig’s body to his own, but he was grateful for it.

The first kiss was short as though they were just testing the waters. They stood in silence for a moment as their feelings processed through the love-sick haze, Kyle for once not caring about how easily he blushed. Instead he cared more about wrapping his arms around the taller boy’s waist properly to pull him close for their second kiss of the night.

Craig smirked down at him as he pulled back properly, heads knocking together as neither attempted to fully move away. “So…seeing as you’re not babysitting tonight do you wanna find a dark corner and make out or something?”

Kyle scoffed at the question. “Wow, Tucker. Real romantic.”

“I try.”

Turned out dark corners were easy to come by, providing you didn’t care if they were actually dark or not. Unfortunately their cosy corner of the Donovan’s kitchen was interrupted by Kenny, who had the good graces to at least look apologetic as he explained that Bebe had in fact goaded Stan into drinking far too much once again and was practically passed out on Clyde’s sofa.

When they approached the Marsh boy they found him near tears as he told Tweek that Kenny _couldn’t_ get Kyle because it would ruin Kyle’s night. The redhead pulled his best friend out of his funk and into a big hug, promising that it hadn’t been ruined that much. The thunderous glare that Craig was giving Stan promised that he wished he could ruin Stan’s night.

“Are you free tomorrow?” Kyle asked as he propped Stan up on the doorstep to the Donovan house. “Or, like, at all over the weekend?”

Craig rubbed the back of his neck as he mulled on the question. “I think tomorrow I might need to recover a bit, and help tidy up, but…maybe in the evening?”

“Do you wanna catch a movie or something?”

“Yeah. That’d be cool.”

A grin split across Kyle’s face. “Cool. Yeah, cool.”

“Yeah.”

Kyle went to wave, before remembering the quarterback he had wrapped round his shoulders. “I’ll text you.”

“I’ll text you first.”

“I’d like to see you try.”

Craig smirked down at him. “Challenge accepted.”

Stan gave another small sniff, burying his nose into Kyle’s collarbone. “You too are just-so cute. I’m so proud of you.”

“Alright, let’s get you home.”

Stan was just as apologetic in the morning, despite Kyle assuring him that he didn’t mind. If he was that bothered by being Stan’s escort every party then he would’ve refused a long time ago, or not gone at the same time every time. As compensation for breaking his promise to stay sober Stan did help him get ready for his date at least.

When he approached a well-dressed Craig Tucker, in skinny jeans and a navy button up shirt under his leather jacket, he was pleased for Stan’s assistance and insistence he didn’t just wear a band shirt. He was pretty sure Craig could’ve worn anything though with how handsome he was when he turned and gave a lopsided smile to Kyle.

**Author's Note:**

> I got the inspiration from this from this beautiful piece of art: https://bernnegi.tumblr.com/post/175015397967/i-noticed-in-a-lot-of-fanfiction-that-ive-read#notes
> 
> It's been super fun to work on. I've also been trying to actively stop myself from writing a Mass Effect inspired piece after seeing their other art of Craig as Shepard and Kyle as a bounty hunter (with their Phone Destroyer card themes y'know). 
> 
> Thank you for the amazing art <3 <3 <3


End file.
